A host of factors, including poverty, job loss, lack of transportation, unaffordable housing and chronic health issues, contribute to creating barriers to food access. But the vague mental images painted by these scenarios do not necessarily put an accurate face on WNC’s sprawling and complicated food insecurity problem.

Local businesses are offering a huge variety of CBD-infused and hemp-based food and drink products. But a recent move by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services may make this market more complicated.